Man to appear in court over dredger collision that killed yachtswoman

The officer of the watch is due to appear in court in Ipswich on Tuesday afternoon

A Dutch national is to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon over a dredger collision that killed yachtswoman Bernadine Ingram.

Gerardus Johannes Chapel was the officer of the watch onboard a dredger when it collided with a yacht off the coast of Felixstowe on 8 June.

Peter Ingram was rescued from the water shortly after the incident, however emergency services were unable to find Mrs Ingram, with the 57-year-old’s body being recovered from inside the sunken vessel the next day by divers.

The couple’s two dogs, which had also been onboard at the time of the crash, but only one was
found alive.

Following an investigation by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA), the dredger’s watch officer has been charged under section 58 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

An MCA spokesperson said: “Gerardus Johannes Chapel, from the Netherlands, was officer of the watch on the dredger Shoreway which collided with the yacht Orca off Felixstowe on 8 June 2014.

“He’s been charged with failing to discharge his duties properly, as such the manner of his acts and/or omissions caused or were likely to cause loss destruction, death or injury, contrary to
section 58(4) of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.”

The defendant will appear before South East Suffolk Magistrate’s Court in Ipswich on Tuesday.